H.R. 5542 — Introduced in House

I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5542 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 8, 2021Mr. Sherman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program to facilitate the distribution of funding for travel related expenses paid by individuals impacted by restrictions to the provision of abortion services, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Medical Travel Assistance to Protect Women’s Right to Choose Act of 2021. 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the Attorney General shall undertake all necessary actions to prevent a State from frustrating the protections outlined in Roe v. Wade (410 U.S. 113 (1973)). 3. Grants to individuals impacted by restrictions to provision of abortion services (a) Establishment Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a program (in this Act referred to as the Program) to facilitate the distribution of funding for travel related expenses paid with respect to accessing an abortion service by an individual residing in a State that does not have a State law protecting the right to abortion services before the fetus is viable. (b) Grant authority In carrying out the Program, the Secretary may award a grant to each individual in accordance with this section. (c) Eligible recipients The Secretary may award a grant under the Program to any individual determined by the Secretary to— (1) be a resident of a State that does not have a State law protecting the right to abortion services before the fetus is viable; and (2) have traveled to a State other than the State of such individual’s residence to be provided abortion services. (d) Applications To be eligible for a grant under the Program, the individual shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary determines appropriate. (e) Grant amount (1) In general The amount of the grant awarded under the Program shall be up to $1,000 and based on the travel related expenses paid by an eligible recipient. (2) Additional amount In extraordinary circumstances, as determined by the Secretary, the amount of the grant awarded under the Program may exceed $1,000. (f) Travel related expenses defined In this section, the term travel related expenses— (1) includes— (A) the expense of round trip travel to the location where the abortion service is provided; and (B) lodging and meals; and (2) does not include— (A) costs with respect to the provision of the abortion service; or (B) wages lost as a result of travel undertaken to receive such service. (g) Fetus is viable defined The term fetus is viable means the time at which there is established medical consensus that the fetus has the potential to survive outside the uterus after birth, natural or induced.